The Boissevain-Morton Beautification Committee met earlier this week to discuss what the town’s street side flowerpots and containers will be adorned with this summer.  Spring is coming quickly, and the volunteer committee is waiting for the snow to melt and the dirt to be soft enough to plant!

“We discussed all the different things we’d like to do this year and we would like to change it up a little bit,” shares committee member, Mayor Judy Swanson.  “It’s just looking forward to spring, which is always exciting!”

In the past, the committee’s annual ‘list of things to do’ included preparing the town for ‘Communities in Bloom’.  Swanson says she’s been receiving information on the 2022 seasonal competition, however Boissevain will not be officially competing in this year’s floral race. 

Planning for this year’s growing season, committee members discussed the feasibility of a community garden.  

The discussion was inspired by many municipalities across the country naming 2022 as ‘The Year of the Garden’.  Boissevain’s committee claimed this initiative as their own and are considering a plan as to what that might look like.

“We thought it might be nice to do something a little different, so we’re looking at a community garden to see if there is want or need for one,” explains Swanson.  “So, there’s a couple of people [on the committee] who are going to look into where we could have it, and if anyone is interested if we started one.”

To bring the garden theme to downtown, some members want to plant vegetables in amongst their flower designs.  The fresh veggies would be available to anyone who might like them, or they would be donated to the local food bank.

“I think it’s a really fun and interesting thing to do this year,” shares Swanson. “There are other communities that have them, they’re very popular in the cities, of course.  But for those people living in an apartment, or don’t have garden space in their yards, they may not have an opportunity to have their own garden.”

“With the prices of groceries and fresh produce going up and up, this is an option for people.  So, it’s something that we’re going to see if it would work.  It would be for anyone in the community who would want their own little garden space, and we’re looking at some raised gardens as well.”

Some possible locations have been suggested, however the access to water is crucial to the project.  “We’d have to see what kind of expense there would be to try and get water, even on a temporary basis. It’s certainly something that we’re going to look into.”

Local volunteers could participate in the building of raised beds, securing of soil to fill them, and even picking weeds, making it a community-building project for anyone who wants to participate.

“After this winter, we’re all ready just to see the garden, let alone to work in it,” she laughs.  “Yes, it’s been a long, tough winter in more ways than just the weather.  It was so good to be able to get together at our meeting, even to talk about flowers and plants!”